MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

3/24 Colvin could be on team

Tyler Colvin could make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster but only if they feel they can give him enough at-bats.

“First of all, Colvin has had an outstanding spring,” Piniella said Wednesday. “Colvin has played well enough to make this team. The concern is we don’t want this young man to make this team and just sit. So, if he’s on our Opening Day roster, he’s going to get some playing time. He’s just not going to sit.”

Could Piniella give him a couple starts a week?

“I’m going to have to,” Piniella said. “We just don’t want a young player like Colvin to make the team and sit down and not play. If Colvin is with us, he’s going to get some playing time. To his credit, he can play all three outfield positions. We just don’t want him sitting. We’ll see how it works out.”

Colvin entered play on Wednesday ranked fourth in the Cactus League with a .438 average. His 21 hits lead the Majors while his 30 total bases tops the Cactus League and are tied for fifth most overall.

“He has played really well this spring,” Piniella said. “If I didn’t have Fukudome, Byrd or Soriano, he would be a regular at one of those positions this spring.”

There are two other outfield options still in camp in Jim Adduci and Sam Fuld. Fuld is a different type of player and looked at as more of a defensive sub.

“I know if Colvin is here, my job is to get him some playing time,” Piniella said.

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“He has played really well this spring,” Piniella said. “If I didn’t have Fukudome, Byrd or Soriano, he would be a regular at one of those positions this spring.”

Whoa….yet another ringing endorsement for Hendry’s clogged outfield!!! Even Lou must think that it would be better to have Colvin over Soriano or Fukodome, Byrd is really not one of Hendry’s BAD deals. But how the heck can Pinella get Colvin AND Nady AB’s without drastically reducing the AB’s from Soriano, Byrd or Fukodome? There has to be some kind of trade in the works this season to unload Soriano if not Fukodome. Maybe some desperate AL team that suffers an injury to their DH may get Hendry off the hook??? We can only hope, as usual…

This year, I don’t see the cubs doing much more than last year with Rich Harden gone, expect basically a repeat of last year, unless of course Soto and Ramirez are healthy and on the top of their games, but with that being said, why not give the young guy a chance to show his stuff? I say go for it Colvin!

A agree with mrrock. Sorryano as I call him isn’t much of a fielder anyway he has cost us plenty of games in the past this is a no brainer!!! Go Colvin Go! Look who has been scoring runs for us this spring!! Keep him and play him. let him starrt!!!

just to let ya know, you sound like a 5 year old when you call him sorryano, it’s not funny, just childish, jesus christ, way to be mature man. That stuff is not going to make you cool, and I can bet all day you wouldn’t say that to his face. You remember when people were saying DP-Lee all the time? Well nobody did that last year, because he rocked, if Soriano (HOLY COW IT’S HIS REAL NAME!!!) does well, nobody would ever call him that. So grow up, God. fair weather fans at their highest we cub fans are.

Actually, while jones was on our team he was probably our most efficient hitter, ad he was a solid player, Colvin wouldn’t start,I don’t think he will, but I won’t complain if he is Jacque Jones, why do people think he was so bad? Look at his stats as a cub. Then repeat yourself. For a rookie those stats are roty calibur.

My son played little league and high school ball with ty in north augusta . I watched him grow up and this kid has always been a hard worker and dedicated. there is no doubt in my mind that given the opportunity he will deliver big time. and he is a better hitter and fielder than either of those guys. give the kid a chance Lou.

lol why comparing Colvin to Jacque Jones? c’mon… Colvin was a first round pick, 13th overall, scouts sure did see him better than J.Jones… and it’s clear to me that Lou is sending Hendry a message and trading sorryano will be a hard thing to do with his salary, Byrd wont leave since he’s the new guy… so only if fuku waves his no-trade clause… that’s the only way I see it happening, unless hendry works wonder and finds a way to trade sorry, maybe pay some of his salary before he falls even more.

I’ll take those Jaque Jones numbers in his first year with the Cubs from Colvin. I say let him start in Triple A, and if he’s hot down there bring him up. And if he stays hot then the Cubs must make a decision trading Fukudome (I don’t think anyone is going to take on Soriano’s contract, unless the Cubs are willing to eat a big chunk of his contract which a highly doubt.), who hopefully will be hitting well so he could get traded more easily, probably to a west coast team ( Seattle anyone? By the looks of the way Milton Bradley is going, he’ll be as good as gone by the All-Star Break).

Piniella has a solid outfield however get fukudome the hell out of right. He cant hit, he has decent speed and an ok arm. I say get Colvin out in right, trade fukudome to make some room for the younger players and let Fuld get a shot in there. Lets face it i think Soriano has been sub par so far in his stay in chicago has what 5 years left? I really think that its gonna be hard to keep Colvin and first rounder Brett Jackson out of the lineup once Jackson gets the big call up. I think that the cubbies should be fine and once Castro is up having him and Theriot at the one- two spots this will be a dangerous team. October reserve a spot for the cubbies in 2010

Again, Soriano had one bad year, let it go, at least wait till the season to start the Soriano bashing, he still has some left, let last year in April be an example for how could he can be. And I doubt if hendry knew Sori would perform this way, he wouldn’t have signed him that long, if Sori were doing as expected, it would be a great move right? These things happen, your cub fans get used to the fact that baseball hates us as far as luck goes!

Why do people want Fukudome gone now? He is a go fielder, he gets on base alot, and we don’t have alot of options, except to lose even more speed, and make our outfielding core worse at fielding with nady moving in. Fuku doesn’t get hurt, he isn’t always a bad hitter, and I like him

I don’t think sori is gonna be bad this year. He can flat out carry a team. I like the future for the cubs though. For next year for the first time we are actually going to have a core group of guys from the cubs organzation. I think castro will be at short, theriot at 2b, colvin will probably take over next year from fuku and he would be our 4th outfilder, brett jackson will probably be up and maybe bryd will be traded or again as a backup outfilder, Lee i don’t think will be back but i could see the cubs putting vitters at first, and soto at the plate. This lineup would remind me of the phillies how the brought up there group of guys.

I disagree Mike, Byrd will be good, I think Fuku stays, and will do well, I think Sori is a ? but if so good, Soto will be awesome again, and I think we have a good team, NEXT year. And Lee will be good again, why wouldn’t he?

Colvin has been killing the ball all spring. To me, he’s on the cusp. I’d like to see him make the roster heading north. Give him 2 starts a week, resting Soriano one day, Fuku the next, and he’ll get some ph at bats as well. If either Fuku or Soriano falter, give him more starts and someone sits. I like Fukudome, great defense, good eye at the plate, Rudy works wonders and I think he’ll have his best year yet, Soriano , not sure how much he has left.

I know lee will be good. He is my favorite player on the cubs but sometimes you have to make tough decisions. I think in the long run it would be better not to resign lee unless they could get him cheap. I think next year its time to start some of these young guys. i do think the cubs will be good this year but i don’t know if there WS good. I am tired of them being good enough to make the playoffs and thats it.

i sounds like nady should b on the dl intill he could b a dh for the cubs lol it was a bad pick up by henry to get nady and we have carvin and sam in the farm coulda saved a whole lot of cash with nady carvin should b the 4th outfilder the cubs got he earned the right to get the job its just another thing that henry done wrong of geting nady but look at the bright side we got maddox 4 the gm job when they let henry go. GO cubs

Colvin is a Great player and would deffently happy the Chicago Cubs. I saw him play for the Daytona Cubs. He’d be one of the first players every day to show up and work with Richie Zisk. I say send him north.

Colvin is a Great player and would definitely help the Chicago Cubs. I saw him play for the Daytona Cubs. He’d be one of the first players every day to show up and work with Richie Zisk. I say send him north.

Certainly it is a wicked web that Hendry has woven. Soriano never was and never will be a good defender so the only way he can have an all around great year is by being a monster RBI machine and even though Hendry hasn’t figured this out yet players do age along with their 8 year contracts. I hope we see a resurging Soriano for us fans sake but realistically the way Hendry set up the outfield with Soriano, Fukodome and now Byrd (who admittedly should be a good fit) and Nady in the mix the youth will have to take a back seat. Somebody with greater vision than Hendry is desperatley needed to take over as GM.

Jacque Jones is not better than Soriano or Fukudome. The fact that Jacque Jones is not even playing at the big league level anymore should tell you that.

Second getting back to topic, the only hope Colvin has of being a better than average corner OF’er is if he mashes the hell out of the ball or if he can play a decent CF.

The Cubs have already jerked Samardzija enough. There’s no need to keep Colvin at the MLB just to get him spare PA or play him every third/fourth day. Let him get his fulltime play at Iowa, see if he can repeat his success at AA, repeating the power and possibly improving patience.

Fuld? I’m so tired of hearing about Fuld. THE GUY CAN’T HIT! There is no designated fielder position in the national league. Until he figures out how to swing the bat Sam Fuld’s spectacular defesne is not worth the wasted at bats.

Although I am dissapointed with both Soriano and Fukodome for not living up to expectations I agree with bocknroll and would much rather have the aging, one dimensional Soriano who could still alter some games with his bat and the very good defensive Fukodome who could at least contribute with his glove and occassionally his bat rather than the never should be mentioned again Jacque Jones. But I still would rather cut bait on either of the BAD, HANDCUFFING contracts of Soriano (especially) and Fukodome in order to give a home grown, high draft pick, promising rookie such as Colvin a starting job in the outfiled. They did it with Patterson which was admirable, found out he wasn’t as advertised…BUT THEY FOUND OUT. Might as well do the same with Colvin, he may NOT be the next Patterson but the next Williams??? Either way, EIGHT YEAR contracts for aging veterans with no glove for a National League team? BAD.

The bottom line here is this, my fellow Cub fans…..Rudy J. is the key for this season ! 2nd key……Give Fukie a smack, every time he…..steps into the Bucket ! In my day…..we learned….NOT to do this in little league.

Sure cubsfan@gmail.com, how about all of last season in the major leagues, over 250 AB’s with a BA of .223….that’s NOT HITTING. OOPS!!! Those are Kevin Millar’s stats!!! HA! No wonder Hendry went after him, plus he brings a gold glove to the outfield. OOPS!!! (no. 2) I mean LEAD glove. I think Fuld is getting the shaft if Millar makes the team over him. Don’t we already have Nady on this team that pretty much fills the same role only may hit better? We’re really going to pay the price with these veteran outfielders with no glove. Lou is painting himself in a corner if he neglects defensive swithches in close games.

hendry is like all the other gms the cubs has had over the the last 55yrs. that i have been a fan. they have good prospects in minors but the would rather get someone who is over the hill or broke down to play. they ruined the patterson bros. by making them stay in minors so long. they will probably do the same thing with colvin & castro, samarg and so on down the list

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